2022-09-25

• Condition: E5
• Location: Home, Spearfish: 44.49, -103.87

/Started the night out by inviting David, Melanie and their three boys to observe Jupiter. Noah is really into “space stuff”, so he was excited to see it. The kids eventually got distracted and started playing in the yard. I then found M29 with David. Turns out he used to be into gazing, and was on the cusp of getting into astrophotography before having to sell his scope. It sounded like he was interested in getting back into it though!/

9:22PM

• Target: ε Pegasi
• Const: Pegasus
• RaDec: 21h44m +9.53
• Type: Star (Double)
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 59x, ½ Stop-down
• Double: AB: 330°

I was afraid that the sibling was going to be so faint that I would have trouble seeing it (like σ Cassiopeiae), but it ended up being pretty easy. I’m guessing because the faint sibling was further away from the primary. Primary is orange and red, the secondary is white-blue.

9:34PM

• Target: ζ Aquarii
• Const: Aquarius
• RaDec: 22h28m -0.01
• Type: Star (Double)
• Scope: ST80
• Setting: 150x
• Double: AB: 160°

A pleasant surprise! I was expecting difficulty splitting this star as well due to how close they were. But the distinct color differences in each star made them stand out from each-other even though they were close enough to be touching at this magnification. Primary is white-blue, secondary is yellow-orange.